The electronic shock collar, commonly termed an 'e-collar,' is one of the most misunderstood items used in dog training. In the hands of a knowledgeable trainer, an e-collar is effective, humane, and safe. However, there are right ways and wrong ways to use such a device.
An e-collar, like any training tool, is as strong as the trainer that uses it. Used incorrectly, it can be a source of confusion, pain, fear, and anxiety for a dog. Used correctly, it can save the dog's life and increase the animal's confidence and working ability. A dog that responds instantly and completely to a command to 'come' or 'lie down' can be saved from running across a road ahead of a car, or chasing a deer into the woods. The strongest argument for the e-collar is for training such lifesaving commands, and for use when working the dog off-leash. With population growth in most areas of the country, there are fewer and fewer isolated areas that can be used for training or working dogs. With a properly used e-collar, a trainer can have as much control, or more, of the dog as he or she could using a regular collar and leash, while still allowing the animal to move about at will.
An e-collar should be used only on a confident dog that is already trained. It is not intended to teach commands, but to reinforce them. For example, one does not use an e-collar to teach the dog a recall; instead the collar is utilized only when the dog ignores the command. The collar is activated by the trainer only when the dog chooses to ignore a command it is thoroughly familiar with. Often, the collar will have a 'vibrate' function as well as the 'shock' function. A vibrate works very well to remind the dog to pay attention or a stronger correction will be forthcoming. Used correctly, the collar's correction will elicit no more severe of a reaction from the dog than a leash correction. There is no need for the dog to respond negatively or to yelp in discomfort - that is misusing the equipment. The collar should be set at the lowest level necessary to get the desired response. A collar that allows the correction to be increased from the remote ensures that the correction level can be increased if needed without getting one's hands on the dog.
An e-collar is a very effective and safe training tool if some basic items are followed. First, the trainer should have a good knowledge of training and be able to 'read' a dog well. An e-collar is not to be used in the hands of a novice trainer or someone with a short temper.
Second, the collar should be a quality piece of equipment. Cheap collars found at the pet supply center aren't worth the box they're packaged in. Expect to pay $200 and up for a quality collar. It should be waterproof, easy to operate, have a range of at least mile (as the range is reduced in wet, wooded, or brushy ground cover) and made of quality materials.
Third, the collar should be used to reinforce commands the trainer has already thoroughly taught the dog, not to train the dog new commands. Using a correction when a dog doesn't know what is being asked is cruel and ineffective. It is the equivalent of whipping a child to teach him to write instead of showing him how, then correcting him when he does it wrong.
Fourth, the collar is used only as necessary. A good trainer may find that the dog goes hours, days, weeks, or even months without receiving a correction, and that is a good thing.
An e-collar can save a dog's life. Most dogs go through a stage in training where they pretend to ignore commands. Others are reliable most of the time, except when a person approaches, they see a deer or squirrel, or other distractions commence. In instances like these, being able to correct the dog for his indiscretions can mean the difference between an animal dead on the road or lost in the woods, and a happy dog that is rewarded for listening and staying safe. A few corrections with a well-used e-collar are far kinder than having a dog killed by traffic or lost in the wilderness.